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     Canadian “  
     
     Nature CONFERENCE I982  
     
     V Federation 9% 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Once again the annual gathering of naturalists from across 
     
     the country for the Canadian Nature Federation conference was a 
     
     highly successful affair. Organized and hosted by the friendly 
     
     and energetic Calgary Field Naturalists' Society, the event was 
     
     held at the University of Calgary, July 2—6, 1982. This year's 
     
     conference focussed on the resources and reserves of Alberta. A 
     
     broad offering of field trips introduced visiting naturalists to 
     
     the tremendous natural diversity to be found in Alberta. Mountains, 
     
     grasslands, potholes, badlands, river valleys, aspen parklands and 
     
     much much more - all were enthusiastically explored by the visitors, 
     
     under the excellent guidance of local naturalists. 
     
    
   
   
    
     After having had a chance to see first-hand Alberta's tremendous 
     
     natural endowments, everyone returned to Calgary for 2 days of 
     
     conference sessions. These introduced us to an even more spectu— 
     
     lator array of Alberta's special places, but also alerted us to the 
     
     very grave pressures that threaten many of them. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Presentations were grouped into 4 sessions. The first session 
     
     on stewardship covered aspects of industrial and recreational 
     
     developments which are having an undesirable impact on the environ— 
     
     ment, and outlined some of the specific difficulties to be sur- 
     
     mounted in developing and enforcing management schemes which will 
     
     reduce environmental degradation. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A session on rivers helped us to appreciate the great beauty 
     
     and enormity of Alberta's waterways, as well as their essentialness 
     
     to all aspects of life in the Province. However, pressures on 
     
     the river systems from pollution, damming, irrigation, flood control, 
     
     and recreational demands are enormous. Sadly enough, it seems the 
     
     efforts of conservationists are frequently ignored by government 
     
     and business interests when it comes to river management. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Ecological reserves and natural areas offer hope for preserva- 
     
     tion of unique portions of the natural environment. Ongoing 
     
     research seeks to identify and describe those areas most deserving 
     
     of protection. Some headway is also being made in the acquisition 
     
     and management of such areas. 
     
    
   
   
    
     .Since the Rocky Mountains form such a special part of Alberta’s 
     
     heritage, an entire session was devoted to this region, its glacial 
     
     history, flora and fauna, as well as the aesthetic experience of 
     
     being in the high country. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In addition to field trips and conference sessions, the 
     
     Calgary hosts kept everyone busy between times with displays, 
     
     bookstore shopping, early morning bird walks, slide presenta— 
     
     tions, square dancing and a banquet. All in all the conference 
     
     was a very enjoyable experience of Alberta, its people as well 
     
    
   
   
    
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